"
Vaguely, as he went through the rooms in search of Nina, the princess's
words echoed through his mind, and through some unknown train of
suggestion he remembered that Miller, the butler in New York, had wished
Nina a "safe return." The association of the two seemed ridiculous, yet
a thought held: Was it at all certain that she was going to return home?
Was he, perhaps, not going to return from Sicily? He put himself in the
category of idiots and banished the idea. But the echo of the blessing
that the princess had given him settled softly upon his sensibilities.
"God bless _her_!" he said almost aloud.
Presently he found Nina, unapproachably hemmed in, and too near the
music to talk. For a moment she hesitated, on the verge of extricating
herself or encouraging him to enter the circle despite the general
disturbance it must cause. But the moment passed. His lips framed
"Good-by" and hers answered, both smiled brightly--and that was the
parting.
[Illustration: "HIS LIPS FRAMED 'GOOD-BY' AND HERS ANSWERED, BOTH SMILED
BRIGHTLY--AND THAT WAS THE PARTING"]
Derby was in many ways a fatalist--not one of those who thought that by
sitting still the gifts from the horn of fortune would tumble into his
lap; but one of those who believe (to use his own expression), in
pegging away at the thing in hand; further than that, what was to be,
would be.
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